


Spontaneity

by Morgane (smilla840)



Series: Spontaneity [1]
Category: CSI: Miami
Genre: First Kiss, M/M, Mention of past canon character death, New Year's Eve, Set after they found out Natalia was the mole
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-01-30
Updated: 2013-01-30
Packaged: 2017-11-27 13:38:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,046
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/662610
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/smilla840/pseuds/Morgane
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Written for delgaserasca's ficathon and the prompt: Seize the moment of excited curiosity on any subject to solve your doubts; for if you let it pass, the desire may never return, and you may remain in ignorance. ~ William Wirt</p>
            </blockquote>





	Spontaneity

**Author's Note:**

> Originally posted at my livejournal, and beta'ed by sunhawk.

It was the lab’s New Year’s Eve party and Ryan was on watch duty – at least, that was what he called it. It was only fair, after all. Calleigh had brought a date and seemed to be having a great time – there was really no need to ruin her evening. And Alexx was looking after Horatio. Which left Ryan. _He_ certainly hadn’t brought a date – he had given up on women for the time being; two fiascos in less than a year being enough for him, and it wasn’t like he could bring a guy with him. Not that there was anyone to bring anyway. 

And he had to watch out for Eric.

Eric, who had been getting steadily drunker and drunker, downing drinks like they were water. Not that Ryan could blame him, really. It was the first New Year’s Eve since Marisol had died, and although it had been almost six months and the two men in her life were slowly starting to accept it, the holiday season had brought it all back. They both had their way of (not) dealing: Horatio was brooding - more than usual - in a corner, badgered by Alexx who wouldn’t let him, and Eric... was getting drunk.

Ryan kept a watchful eye on him. He was a little buzzed himself, but he knew his limit and could have walked a straight line if asked. So he watched, because Eric was – somewhat – his friend, at the very least his coworker, and he wasn’t going to let him drown – or make a fool of himself in front of the entire lab.

Anyhow, the alcohol seemed to do Eric some (temporary) good. He would pay for it dearly the next day – along with the rest of the lab, who would have to suffer his black hang-over mood – but for now he was more relaxed than he had been for a long time. In fact, he looked almost... giddy.

Clearly, Eric was a happy drunk.

Ryan looked away and decided to mingle a little. He wasn’t very good at dealing with people outside work, which was probably why most of his acquaintances were now in the room, but he figured he could make the effort. He nearly gave up when he narrowly avoided being harpooned by Valera and had to sidestep Tripp’s attempt to slap him on his back in a show of manly friendliness, which would probably have sent him sprawling on the floor.

His eyes finally caught Alexx’s, who gave him a pointed look along with a jerk of her head in Eric’s direction, and Ryan got his attention back to where it belonged.

Oh.

He could see what the problem would be.

Eric was not only a happy drunk. He was also a horny one. And pawing at an equally drunk and giggly Natalia – who had invited _her_ anyway?

Oo-kay. Time to stage an intervention. No matter what Eric’s feelings for Natalia had once been, Ryan had no doubt whatsoever that Eric wouldn’t forgive himself if he slept with her again because he was too drunk to tell friend from foe.

Ryan gingerly made his way towards them through the crowd - it was getting close to midnight and people were starting to gather, making it more difficult for him to be stealthy and quick about it – and while he was doing so, pawing had progressed to kissing, and that was _very_ bad.

Finally – _finally_ – he got to Eric’s side. When clearing his throat and tapping on his shoulder didn’t work, he yanked him none too gently away from Natalia and without further reservation dragged him outside, hoping some air would clear Eric’s mind. It wasn’t his usual way of dealing with things, but the way he looked at it, he was doing them both a favor.

That he might have a second motive wasn’t something he wanted to dwell on. In fact it was pretty irrelevant. Ryan knew Eric was attractive, he even knew _he_ found him attractive, but there had never been time to really think about that particular line of thought.

First he had been the new kid, the one taking Speedle’s place. Even then, he had been peripherally aware of Eric, in a ‘he’s hot’ kind of way, but he had been so desperate to do a good job and make his own place in the lab that that thought hadn’t evolved.

Then Eric had obviously started hating him and Ryan was too busy hating him right back, not wanting to be outdone, to think of anything else. That obsession alone might have told him something had he been willing to listen.

But now, now things were better between them. In fact, they were almost friends, or maybe they were, Ryan wasn’t sure. And those thoughts were coming more and more often. Nothing much, really. Just a silent observation that Eric looked good today or that he seemed to be doing okay.

Nothing much, really.

So there they were, outside, and the cool air seemed to have sobered Eric a little. He had a contemplative look on his face, hair mused and face flushed, and Ryan wanted to kiss him.

That thought startled him. 

Because finding someone attractive wasn’t the same thing as being attracted to them, but clearly the line had blurred with Eric at some point.

And for once, he didn’t analyze everything first, didn’t overthink it.

No, he just leaned over and kissed him.

When he pulled back, it was to distant cheers of ‘Happy New Year!’ and Eric still looked a little dazed and a lot drunk. Ryan smiled a little wryly at his timing. He also wondered why he wasn’t freaking out. Probably would later (he had kissed _Eric_ , his very _male_ coworker who had never shown _any_ sexual interest in men – he was allowed a freak-out). But right now, be it because of the alcohol cursing through his bloodstream or the high from the kiss, he felt…happy.

 

Maybe they would talk about it. Maybe they wouldn’t. Maybe Eric wouldn’t even remember.

Whatever happened, Ryan now knew it was something he wanted. Which didn’t mean he had to do anything about it either.

But maybe, just maybe, Ryan would kiss Eric again when he wasn’t drunk and see what happened.

Maybe.


End file.
